Users interact with computers through user interfaces that include information presented to the user, such as graphics and text on displays, and control sequences employed by the user to control the computer, such as through keyboard keystrokes, mouse movements and button clicks, and selecting objects on a touchscreen display. Computers are often utilized to enter information and/or perform tasks, including defining factors for various tasks (e.g., creating job listings, defining work responsibilities, performing workplace evaluations, etc.), sorting and filtering through large datasets (e.g., browsing and searching through product inventory), and answering surveys and polls.
Traditional techniques for entering information and performing tasks on computers may include filling out forms with input elements (e.g., fields, radio buttons, check boxes, and the like); drilling down through category hierarchies; and utilizing linear sliders to define factors. Each of these techniques may require supplementary explanations to describe how the technique will be used. For example, for creating a job listing, multiple linear sliders could be used to define the roles and responsibilities for the job. Since each linear slider is separate from the other linear sliders, it may not be easily discernable to the user how the linear sliders relate to each other. Users may need to interpret supplementary explanations to determine how much weight each linear slider may have on creating the job listing. Accordingly, the linear sliders (or the input elements, in the case of forms) cannot be simultaneously compared or weighted in relation to each other, and the user does not clearly know the relationships between the sliders (or the input elements).
Users may get frustrated with traditional techniques for entering information and performing tasks such that the users abandon the form or do not utilize the sliders, for example. This may be the case when the form or sliders take up more than one screen and the users do not wish to spend the time and effort to scroll the screen. In addition, many traditional forms are sequential in nature, may not be optimally laid out for user interaction, and may require many steps to complete. In particular, the sequential presentation and layout of input elements or sliders can prejudice how the user inputs the information.
Furthermore, it may not be intuitive to the user as to how such techniques can be used, particularly in cases where a large amount of information is presented to the user at the same time. For example, users may wish to browse, search, and/or filter through a large product inventory to find products they are interested in. Although products can be sorted into categories, the user may need to explore through several categories and subcategories to reach the products they are interested in. The user may not be able to accomplish this in a quick and easy way, which could reduce user satisfaction. In this case, the user may abandon their effort to search for products, which could result in a lost sales opportunity.
Accordingly, there is an opportunity for systems and methods that address these concerns. More particularly, there is an opportunity for systems and methods that facilitate user interaction with a database using a multi-dimensional graphical user input interface.